Clemson?s Second Varsity Eight Named ACC Rowing Crew-of-the-Week

GREENSBORO, NC- Clemson’s 2nd Varsity 8+ crew, which nipped 10th-ranked Yale in a four-team race on the Charles River last Saturday, has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rowing Crew of the Week, the ACC announced Wednesday.

The Tigers are ranked 14th nationally in the weekly Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Top 20.

Clemson’s 2nd Varsity 8+ crew posted a time of 6:54.7 in defeating a ranked opponent for the first time in more than two years, since downing UCLA on Lake Monticello on April 1, 2011. Yale finished second (6:55.1) in the race, followed by Dartmouth (7:04.6) and Boston University (7:20.3).

“The Second Varsity Eight did a fantastic job this past weekend against Yale, Dartmouth and Boston University,” said Clemson Head Coach Robbie Tenenbaum. “We jumped out to a big lead early on and held off a charging boat from Yale at the finish. It was a great result for us and a fantastic job by our nine student-athletes in the boat.”

The Tigers’ 2nd Varsity 8+ crew was composed of senior coxswain Emily Massey, sophomore Giulia Longatti, sophomore Stephannie Allen, senior Kristin Manna, sophomore Cristina Morcom, junior MJ Keys, junior Laura D’Urso, senior Kate Biladeau and sophomore Aurelia Wurzel.

Clemson’s 2V8+ crew has now finished first in five of its seven races this season, with both second-place finishes coming against Top 10 opponents.

The Tigers earned ACC Crew-of-the-Week honors over the 2nd Varsity 8+ crew from Boston College (6:54.73), which finished fourth in the Grand Final of the prestigious Knecht Cup on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ.

Clemson will next host the Clemson Invitational this Saturday on Lake Hartwell in Clemson, SC, which will also be the site of the 2013 ACC Rowing Championship on Sunday, May 12.